Schmidt stated the pass was clean as Tomasoff started through but suddenly a cloud bank settled,
eliminating any vision.

At 3:10 PM a ridge on Hauser Peak looked up less than 100 feet in front of their plane, and Tomasoff,
acting mostly on the split second reflexes of a skilled pilot, was able to "bank up" eliminating what would have
been a fatal head-on crash.

Thus began an ordeal which none of the four fireman will ever forget.

Captain Ellis, despite a broken pelvis and two broken ribs, began a hike which covered eight miles in fog,
light rain, and near-freezing conditions. Arriving at a residence on Sierra Highway, he notified
authorities.

But, all was not over, as Ellis, despite his painful injuries, chose to lead Los Angeles County fireman back
to the scene of the crash.

Unfortunately, weather conditions had worsened to a point where it was impossible even for Ellis to
positively pinpoint the crash.

Fireman spent almost an hour reaching the scene, then an additional half-hours searching through
blinding fog and rain before discovering the crash site.

Schmidt, the only coherent member left at the crash site cried for joy at the sight of the rescue party which
consisted of 12 fireman from Stations 37, 80 and 81, under command of Battalion Chiefs Jim Harpel and
Hiram Swallow, Deputy Sheriff Carl Kline, Wilson's Ambulance attendants Herb Wilson and John Stapp,
and this reporter.

First words from Schmidt, still trying to restrain one of the incoherent injured were: "Thank god you're
here, we'd have never lasted through the night."

Deputy Kline and this reporter used their coats to cover Schmidt and Gallagher, who were outside in the
rain, until blankets and stretchers could be brought to the scene.

Schmidt, a first aid instructor, who had just lectured his class the night before on the value of treating for
shock, had tied Tomasoff inside the plane's cockpit, then was forced to stay with Gallagher, ripping part
of the plane's wing to make a level area for him to lie.

Late yesterday, both Tomasoff, the pilot, and Gallagher were listed in "very serious" condition by officials
at Palmdale General Hospital.

Tomasoff's injuries included a fractured right shoulder, fractured right wrist, fractured right arm and
concussion.

Gallagher was being treated for a concussion, multiple facial lacerations, and vertebrae fractures.

SHERIFF'S OFFICE, LOS ANGELES COUNTY - COMPLAINT REPORT

Date:April 16, 1971

Informant:ELLIS, Harry

Victim: #1 TOMASOFF, John - 40

#2 ELLIS, Harry -

#3 GALLAGHER, Hubert - 46

#4 SCHMIDT, John - 55

Location:3 miles north of 6531 Sierra Highway on fire access road

In response to the above aircraft crash call, Deputy Carl Kline, Unit 116 PM, arrived at the location with
Los Angeles County Fire Department Companies 80 and 81 and Squad 37. At location Deputy Kline
observed the wreckage of a small single engine airplane. (The aircraft, number N7398P, was later
identified as a Piper Comanche, Model PA24, registered to The Frank Brislin Company of Compton, CA).
Victims Gallagher and Schmidt were observed lying behind the bisected fuselage of the aircraft and
Tomasoff was still seated in the left front pilot's seat. Deputy Kline also observed the cockpit of the
aircraft to be entirely sheared away in the front and the wings to be broken at the fuselage. Deputy Kline
assisted firemen in carrying all three Victims to the Fire Access Road where they were placed in an
ambulance (Wilson's responded) and were transported to Palmdale General Hospital.

Deputy Kline waited at the location for the arrival of Earl Baxter, FAA representative, who was notified of
the above at 2105, and escorted to the location by Sergeant Lyndle McConnell, Unit 110R.

Deputies Charles Poborsky and Jacob Maltsberger, interviewed Victim/Informant Ellis at Palmdale
General Hospital about the circumstances surrounding the incident as follows:

Victim Ellis stated that at approximately 1450 this date he and Victims Tomasoff, Gallagher and Schmidt
departed Whiteman Airpark , Pacomia, in route to Calexico via Fox Field, Lancaster. Victim Willis also
stated that bad weather on the west coast forced them to take the alternate route via Fox Field. Ellis went
on to say that after flying for approximately twenty minutes the plane became engulfed in a low fog bank
and seconds thereafter hit a mountain. Ellis added that he saw the mountainside moments prior to impact
since he was seated in the left rear seat of the aircraft, and the Pilot, Victim Tomasoff, who was seated in
the left front seat, also saw the mountain and tried to avoid same by steering the aircraft into a climbing
turn to the right. As a result the aircraft's underside struck the mountainside. Ellis further stated that
Victim Gallagher, who was seated in the right front seat, was apparently thrown clear of the aircraft
wreckage, and Victim Schmidt, who was seated in the right rear seat, helped bring him to the aircraft
fuselage for shelter from the wind and rain. Ellis stated he covered Victim Tomasoff, who was still
trapped in the left front seat of the wreckage, with a sweater in an effort to shield him from the rain and
then proceeded to walk southbound on the Fire Access Road in search for help and finally arrived at 6559
West Sierra Highway, a residence, where he notified the Los Angeles County Fire Department of the
crash. Ellis stated shortly thereafter the fireman arrived at the residence on Sierra Highway and he led
them to within three miles of he wreckage and was then taken to Palmdale General Hospital by a Fire
Department vehicle.

Due to the inclement weather, Unit 956A, Deputy Douglas Dickinson, AV Aero Detail, was unable to
render assistance and returned to base at 1830.

Victims next of kin notified of the above by Palmdale General Hospital staff.

WRECK SITE VISITED

In October 1996, I contacted Eileen Tenorio, the resident of 6531 Sierra Highway in Acton, who summoned help for the plane crash victims, Tenorio, who was
13 at the time of the accident, vividly remembers that rainy day in April 1971 when she was contacted by Victim Ellis.

Tenorio's mother called and reported the incident to the LA County Fire Department. Tenorio told the Fire dispatcher that a plane crashed on Hauser Mountain and
the dispatcher's initial response was "Yeah, there have been a lot of plane crashes on that mountain." Apparently the dispatcher didn't realize that another plane had
crashed and the victims needed help immediately. After a brief discussion, the fire dispatcher finally realized that an accident had occurred and the victims were in dire
need of help.

I asked Tenorio if she knew where the plane had crashed, but all she could remember was what Ellis had told her, "it was someone near Hauser Mountain." I obtained
Pilot Tomasoff's phone number and contacted him. After a brief introduction Tomasoff agreed to tell me about the crash. Tomasoff related the following:

Tomasoff stated that he attempted to get a weather briefing three times before departing Whiteman Airpark. He said that his superiors from work (Captain's Gallagher, Ellis
and Schmidt) were pressuring Tomasoff to take off. Tomasoff said that another plane departed Whiteman headed for Calexico via Lancaster, so Tomasoff decided to
follow behind them. As soon as Tomasoff flew over the Sierra Pelona Mountains, north of Acton and west of Hauser Mountain, he became engulfed in fog. He recalled
that Agua Dulce airport was directly behind him, and a short distance away, so he made a 180 degree turn in an effort to get out of the fog and land at Agua Dulce.
Just as the plane was headed in the opposite direction Tomasoff suddenly was confronted by a large rock outcropping rising up from the mountainside and directly in front of
him. Tomasoff pulled the nose up and purposefully stalled the aircraft in a successful effort to avoid hitting the mountain head on. The maneuver worked and the plane fell
to the ground landing on it's underside. The impact caused the plane to break in two pieces just behind the pilot's seat. Tomasoff was knocked unconscious and
doesn't remember any further details, other than waking up later at the Palmdale Hospital.

Tomasoff told me that passenger Ellis, who was suffering from two broken ribs and a broken pelvis, left the scene of the accident in search of help. Ellis
walked down the mountainside from the crash site in a westerly direction for about a half-mile and then came upon a fork in the road. He chose to go to the left, which
proved correct, had he gone right he would have walked for twenty miles without finding anyone. After a three mile hike down the mountainside, in heavy rain and fog,
he finally reached the Tenorio's family farm house and summoned help. Remarkably, even though he was suffering enormous pain, Ellis waited for help to arrive and
then guided rescuers to the crash site. As a result of Ellis' heroic actions, the lives of his friends were undoubtedly saved.

The wreck was removed shortly after the accident and all that remains of the Commanche are a few scattered
parts that litter the hillside.

With the sketchy location given in the police report and the details provided by Tomasoff, I set out to find the remains of the plane. I was told by Tomasoff that the plane
was removed shortly after the wreck and that nothing remained at the crash site. After an hour long search of the hillside I located a large rock outcropping about 65 feet away
from a telephone company access road which was on the south side of the mountain. This location appeared to match the description where Tomasoff said he hit the mountain. I stopped
my vehicle and looked around the rock outcropping and the surrounding area for any evidence of the plane. Within a short time, I located a piece of metal from the
fuselage; broken windshield glass, a battery cover, and various pieces of engine parts and other aluminum parts from the Piper Commanche. Looking at the twisted
metal it is incredible to me that all four victims survived this wreck. Fortunately for the actions of Tomasoff and Ellis this story has a happy ending. After recovering from
their injuries all victims returned to their jobs with the Glendale Fire Department. Tomamsoff purchased a new plane, another Piper Commanche, and he still flies it to this
day.